Warship sent to trouble spot
TAIWAN HAS dispatched a warship to disputed fishing grounds in an apparent show of strength after complaints of harassment by Japanese patrol boats. Defence Minister Lee Jye and a group of MPs, including speaker Wang Jin-pyng, were aboard the frigate heading for the area around the Diaoyu Islands. The waters around the islands, known in Japan as the Senkaku, are claimed by Taiwan, China and Japan. Wang said Taiwan had the right to defend its sovereignty. “This area belongs to us historically, geographically and legally,” he told reporters before boarding along with a cross-party group of 15 MPs. “We must defend our sovereignty and protect our fishing rights,” he added.
